Despite what you see in some diet books and TV programmes, healthy eating can be really straightforward.

The key thing is to eat a balanced diet, so eating a wide variety of food from all the different healthy food groups. No food groups should be totally eliminated, which is contrary to what a number of popular diets advocate.

The food groups are:

Fruit and vegetables

Starchy foods

Meat, fish eggs and beans

Milk and dairy food

Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar.

To get all the nutrients you need, you need to base your diet on starchy foods such as wholegrain rice and pasta and include plenty of fruit and vegetables, some protein-rich foods such as meat, fish and lentils, some milk and dairy foods. You can eat some foods containing fat and sugar - life would be a bit boring without treats every now and again - however these should be limited.

As well as eating a wide variety of foods, it is important to consume them in the right proportions, in order to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

Most adults in England are either overweight or obese. This means many of us are eating more than we need, and need to eat less. This isn't just about food; some drinks can also be high in calories. If you are in the overweight or obese category based on your BMI, you need to eat less than you are currently and ensure that what you do eat is healthy and your diet is balanced.

Most people in the UK eat and drink too much fat, sugar and salt, and not enough fruit, vegetables and fibre.